SALT LAKE CITY — The Yigo Guam Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was dedicated Sunday by Elder David A. Bednar, a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles.

“We speak much of the temple, but we should always first connect Jesus Christ with the temple,” Elder Bednar said.

According to a church press release, the temple will serve roughly 2,500 members in the Barrigada Guam Stake. It will also serve thousands more in the nearby islands of Micronesia.

Prior to the construction of the temple, church members in the area usually had to travel five hours to Japan, eight hours to Hawaii, four hours to the Philippines or six hours to Australia to attend a temple.

At Sunday’s dedication, Elder Bednar was joined by his wife, Sister Susan Bednar. Also in attendance at Sunday’s dedication were Elder Michael John U. Teh, of the Seventy, and his wife, Sister Grace Teh; and Elder John A. McCune, of the Seventy and Second Counselor in the Asia North Area presidency, and his wife, Sister Debbra McCune.

The temple was one of 12 announced by President Russell M. Nelson in October 2018. Seven months later, ground was broken for the temple. 

According to a church press release, the Yigo Guam Temple is one of the smallest temples to be built. 

 “But we do not have small temples,” Elder Bednar said. “A temple is a temple.”

Read more:

• 17 new temples announced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Groundbreaking dates for Latter-day Saint temples announced

Bonneville International Corporation, the company that owns KSL NewsRadio, is a subsidiary of Deseret Management Corporation, which is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Follow @MarkJonesKSL